What is a call to action (CTA), and which one should my ad use?
A call to action (CTA) is the part of your ad that tells people exactly what to do next, like "Shop Now" or "Send WhatsApp Message". Meta's Business Help Centre says the CTA button you choose should match your campaign objective, so pick the button that matches where you want people to go.
ShoaibUpdated 3 min read
Which Meta CTA button fits which goal?
Meta offers buttons such as Shop Now, Learn More, Sign Up, Book Now, Get Quote, Contact Us, Send Message and Send WhatsApp Message. Which ones you see depends on your objective and conversion location.
| What you want | Where they go | A CTA that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Online sales | Your store or website | Shop Now, Order Now |
| Chats and orders on WhatsApp | Send WhatsApp Message | |
| Enquiries or leads | Instant form or website | Get Quote, Sign Up, Apply Now |
| Appointments | Booking page | Book Now |
| People who need more convincing | Website or article | Learn More |
Meta's own example: an online store using the Traffic objective adds the Shop Now button to encourage people to browse. Note that an ad using an Instant Experience can't carry a CTA button.
What about Google Ads?
Search text ads rely mainly on the words. Google Ads Help advises you to "empower customers to take action" and names calls to action like purchase, call today, order, sign up or get a quote. Put the action in a headline or description, and make sure the landing page delivers exactly that.
How do I choose?
Match the CTA to the promise in your ad. A soft "Learn More" suits people who don't know you yet; "Shop Now" or "Send WhatsApp Message" suits people ready to buy. If unsure, test two CTAs with the same creative.
For more, see how to write ad copy that sells, which Meta campaign objective to choose and how to run ads that open WhatsApp.
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